Science Fiction Though the Decades

Sunday, August 9, 2015

1976: Best Science Fiction of the Year 5 (del Rey, Lester)

Some
smiles, some thoughts, some originality (4/5)

I’m a
skeptical believer when it comes to award-winning novels, all-time favorite
novels, and so-called best-of collections. I very rarely agree with any
objective praise lavished on a story because, for me, the subjective appeal is
much more important to me that any trophy. If a story hits a nerve in me to
some degree, it appeals to me, which is why del Rey’s best-of collection here
ranks among one of my favorites. Some are quirky and fun, making you smile;
some are reflective and humanistic, making you think; the others are fine yet
are pale in comparison as they don’t offer a smile or a thought. Among the best
are Phyllis Eisenstein’sprobing of the alien and human condition in the
“Tree of Life” (1975) and Hayford Peirce’s utterly unique and detailed “High
Yield Bondage” (1975)—the former to make you think, the latter to make you
smile.

Prior to
reading this anthology, I had never heard of Hayford Peirce. But his two
inclusions to this collection are quirky and fun. He’s an author whose work I’ll
have to track down.

The
Bitter Bread (novelette, 1975) – Poul Anderson (3/5)

On a
rotating observation of a star ready to go nova, the ship Uriel and its
crew of seven men stray too close. The unexpected result of the tugs of gravity
and its passing of warped time and space is their state without inertia.
Immediately, a mission to re-supply the ship is gathered, and the wife of one
member bribes her way onto the roster of the usually male-exclusive space
mission. She’s prohibited from touching her husband so as not to mix states,
but destruction might be a kinder fate. 29 pages

Mail
Supremacy (shortstory, 1975) – Hayford Peirce (4/5)

Chap Foey
Rider recalls the days of express mail service, twice per days mail services,
and ever prompt deliveries. At his main offices in New
York, Chap receives an in-own letter within eight days yet a
letter from Tahiti in only three days. As a
test, he has his office in Bangkok send a letter
to Lima 12,244
miles away—it arrives in one day. His curiosity piqued, Chap addressed and
mails a letter to the Supreme Galactic Council regarding its General Post
Office. He doesn’t know it yet, but 1984 is the start of something big. 4 pages

Child of
All Ages (shortstory, 1975) – P J. Plauger (4/5)

Fourteen-year-old
Melissa is a precocious child correcting her history teacher about the labor
conditions during the industrial revolution. While the teacher said the child
labor was disgraceful, Melissa argued that it was better than farm work, which
was why she too worked in the factories centuries ago. Wanting to change foster
homes, she admits to the social worker that she’s in fact 2,400 years old, her
long life a gift from her ancient wizard father. Continually and purposefully
still in pre-pubescence, adulthood has no draw for her. 20 pages

Tree of
Life (shortstory, 1975) – Phyllis Eisenstein (5/5)

A parasitic
alien crash lands on Earth. As its host dies, the parasite transfers itself to
the nearest life form—a lone berry tree. Limited to the tree’s own senses, it
can still sense the man whose land hosts the tree. Dismayed and angered with
the inconveniences of the tree, the man cuts it down, cuts it into timber, and
paints the imperishable stump blue. Yet, the tree doesn’t die, so the parasite
can’t transfer. It waits for a time to become the dominant species of the
planet—man. 8 pages

Helbent
Four (novelette, 1975) – Stephen Robinett (4/5)

The lone
survivor of the epic 2.478 nanosecond battle with the Spacethings, Helbent Four
returns to Earth to gloriously proclaim the end of the human war against the
aggressive aliens. In orbit, he’s met by no welcoming party, only a radio
signal which interrogates him. NASA has no idea who Helbent is not who the
Spacethings are; it’s then that Helbent realizes that he is three hundred years
in Earth’s past, he the victim of the warpstorm. Thence, he spills forth his
incredible story, awaiting a reply yet when his are answers are unwelcome,
Helbent eyes sacrifice. 20 pages

Pop Goes
the Weasel (shortstory, 1975) – Robert Hoskins (3/5)

After the
Apocalypse, in which nearly everyone died of disease, only a few remain
isolated from each other. Willie is one of them, having been raised by robots
for most of this life while living in a mountainside bunker. Lacking human
contact, aside from video calls from the blonde Margaret and the elderly Ernst,
he lives a childish life of fantasy, whim, and pouts. One day, when Ernst
announces he’s dying and his well-maintained abode falters, Willie feels the
draw of living out his fantasy, but first he must escape his only home. 17
pages

The Book
Learners (shortstory, 1975) – Liz Hufford (4/5)

The aliens
on the planet Imitia were taken by storm when they first read the Bible of a
crashed cosmonaut. Struck by the sheer originality of it, the entire planet
became Christian and those who considered themselves Christ had themselves
sacrificed on the cross—hundreds of them. Earth hears of this and sees an opportunity.
The first two missionaries there are amazed to find the planet much like Jesus’
time—whales and all. The aliens being prone to new ideas and rules, a second
book is sent to establish them as a base for manufacturing. 11 pages

High
Yield Bondage (novelette, 1975) – Hayford Peirce (4/5)

Over 17,000
light-years from its home system, Huntleader Riderson and his ship plummet to
the Earth but check their trajectory and settle in the unoccupied central desert of Texas. Unable to quickly contact home or
repair the ship, the ship, itself, begins a decadal project in which Huntleader
will take the form of a human, manage a supermarket, and launder money in order
to secure enough finances for the next step of the project—nothing short of
mutually beneficial world domination. 30 pages

Senior
Citizen (shortstory, 1975) – Clifford D. Simak (3/5)

Orbiting
Earth in his isolated satellite, Mr. Lee awakens every morning to the pleasant
voice of the satellite’s robotic voice. His breakfast is made, he tasks are
listed, and his garments are readied, yet Mr. Lee is as stubborn as an old man
comes. Having his every care catered to, the geriatric man scorns things he
once loved—scrambled eggs and painting—simply for a plain view of the stars,
albeit sitting and feeling defeated. He misses his wife, who he spookily sees
in all aspects of his hermetic life. 5 pages

Wim Buckrey
and his small-time band of louts eye the recent arrival of a merchant gypsy.
For lack of trade in the poor village, the gypsy-cum-magician named Jagit
decides to travel through Darkwood Corner and Witch Hollow with Buckry’s band
acting as so-called protectors, when they really just want to thieve him. When
Buckry’s men are killed in an attack, he bonds with Jagit and, as they enter
their destined city of Fyffe,
Buckry learns an astonishing secret behind the magician and his own world. 44
pages